Why were two different covers used for the first edition of the Uwharrie Lakes Region Trail Guide? Today, there are valid marketing reasons for a book to have different covers. But in this case, the reason was simply because the original photograph slides used for the first cover were somehow lost by the time a second print run was needed. Also, a new printing company was being used, which meant a new cover file had to be created. Without the original photographs, the graphic artist could not simply recreate the same cover. New pictures had to be used, resulting in a different cover for the second print run.
The inside of the first two printings is exactly the same. Only the cover is different. The ISBN is the same. The main cover picture on the first print run has mostly blue tones. These copies were printed in 1998. The main cover picture on the second print run has mostly yellow tones. The second run copies were printed in 2010.
If you’re a collector who loves the Uwharries and takes pride in their trail guide library, these copies could compliment your well-worn, often-loaned first-edition copy. Or maybe you only discovered the Uwharries after the Second Edition was published and didn’t have a chance to buy the first edition. Or maybe you just want a couple more filler books to prop up other books on your shelves! Only a handful of these new-condition, unsold, first-edition copies still exist, and this is the only place you can order a signed copy directly from the author!
